Government & Communications

The Federal Communications Commission announces the release of Data Specifications for Bulk Fixed Availability Challenge and Crowdsource Data, which provides guidance as to the requirements in the FCC's rules and orders for filing bulk challenges, as well as bulk crowdsource information, to the fixed broadband availability data that will be published on the FCC’s Broadband Maps as part of the new Broadband Data Collection (BDC). The Data Specifications for Bulk Fixed Availability Challenge and Crowdsource Data, which also explains how to make the required filings in the BDC system, is avail

Sen Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Rep Doris Matsui (D-CA) led Sens Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) to introduce the Digital Equity Foundation Act, legislation to establish a nonprofit foundation to leverage public and private investments to make progress closing the divide on digital equity, digital inclusion, and digital literacy.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a lawsuit against Amazon alleging that the company stifled competition and caused increased prices across California through anticompetitive contracting practices in violation of California’s Unfair Competition Law and Cartwright Act. In order to avoid competing on prices with other online e-commerce sites, Amazon requires merchants to enter into agreements that severely penalize them if their products are offered for a lower price off-Amazon. In the lawsuit, Attorney General Bonta alleges that these agreements thwart the ability of other onli

The Federal Communications Commission is partnering with the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) and the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) to raise awareness of the Lifeline program and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) during Lifeline Awareness Week, September 12-16, 2022. Lifeline is an FCC program designed to help make communications services more affordable for low-income consumers, and provides up to a $9.25 monthly discount on qualifying voice and broadband services for eligible low-income subscribers and up to $34.2

The recent update of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) memorializes a shared commitment between the two agencies to renew a partnership critical to jointly managing the nation’s spectrum resources. Now the work begins to translate this agreement into consistent, meaningful practice.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel recently responded to a letter from Sens Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) regarding the FCC's Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric mapping progress in Alaska. In their letter, the senators expressed concerns over CostQuest's methodology and the availability of foundational data in the state. The lawmakers requested that the FCC accept supplemental data, work with state stakeholders to procure more accurate data, and ameliorate "deficiencies" in the FCC production maps released in June 2022.

Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that the items below are tentatively on the agenda for the September Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, September 29, 2022. At the meeting, the FCC will:

On June 30, the Federal Communications Commission opened the first ever window to collect information from broadband providers in every state and territory about precisely where they provide broadband services. September 2 marked the close of this first data collection window—the next important step forward in our efforts to build more accurate broadband maps, which are much-needed, long overdue, and mandated by Congress. I wanted to give everyone a quick update on what we’ve done, what we’re announcing today, and what people can expect in the months ahead.

The Federal Communications Commission announced that as of September 12, 2022, state, local, and Tribal governments, service providers, and other entities can begin to file bulk challenges to data in the Broadband Serviceable Location Fabric, which serves as the foundation for the Broadband Data Collection (BDC) fixed availability maps.

The Department of Commerce invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps the National Telecommunications and Information Administration assess the impact of its information collection requirements and minimize the public’s reporting burden.